Water Diplomacy and Climate Governance Portfolio 1
Preface The Hague Institute for Global Justice provides interdisciplinary and policy-relevant research, training and capacity building on a wide range of water-related topics. In this publication you will find an overview of The Hague Institute s water-related work since its inception in 2011. The overview includes projects, partnerships, events, and training sessions. Please also have a look at our website www.thehagueinstituteforglobaljustice.org. 2
Projects Water Diplomacy: Making Water Cooperation Work (2015-2017) Partners: The Hague Institute (lead), Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), UNESCO International Centre for Water Cooperation (ICWC), IUCN Asia, Uppsala University, Helmholtz Centre (UFZ), and Tufts University Funding: The Hague Institute, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), YEP / Netherlands Water Partnership This project aims to identify and operationalize the key factors affecting transboundary water cooperation. The rationale for this project follows from the large challenges for water governance in the 21st century. Not only will it become more difficult to provide access to water to all (and particularly to vulnerable groups), also the multiple groups of traditional and non-traditional actors will increasingly influence decision-making on the availability of fresh water. This will lead to more water-related conflicts, sometimes small and covert, sometimes open and violent, between local communities but also between nation states. Our unit of analysis is a transboundary river basin (i.e. Brahmaputra and Jordan River basin), while recognizing that cross-border dynamics can only be understood by also analyzing the processes of support and contestation at multiple levels within the respective countries. 3
Our state-of-the-art research entails: ü The development of a multi-track water diplomacy framework for understanding and advancing transboundary water cooperation ü Legal and political-economy analysis focusing on the specific challenges and the options for cooperation ü Analysis of the effectiveness of existing cooperation processes (i.e. negotiations and multi-stakeholder dialogues) ü Identification of the zone of possible effective cooperation (ZOPEC) ü Development of concrete recommendations on how to foster effective cooperation The framework is currently being applied in the Jordan and Brahmaputra case-study basins. The research findings, on the specific challenges and opportunities related to water cooperation within the basin, will be presented and discussed in dialogues. The key research questions include: ü ü Based on empirical evidence from the case studies, what are the key determinants for effective/ ineffective water cooperation? How can these insights successfully be used to inform and improve multi-track water diplomacy? The project is led by The Hague Institute for Global Justice, in collaboration with the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), International Centre for Water Cooperation (ICWC) (under the auspices of UNESCO), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Uppsala University, University of Otago, University College Cork and Tufts University Water Diplomacy Program. 4
The Hague: Global Hub for Water Diplomacy and Peace (2016) Funding: Municipality of The Hague The Hague has become a world-renowned center for international peace and justice, with an emerging reputation in the interdisciplinary field of water diplomacy. There is growing demand for answers to complex global water issues. The Netherlands, and especially The Hague, with extensive experience and expertise on water are well-positioned to become a global hub for water diplomacy. On request of the municipality, The Hague Institute carried out a strategic analysis of how the role of The Hague as a global hub for water diplomacy can be strengthened. 5
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Governance of Climate Adaptation in Small Island Developing States (2015-2016) Partners: Deltares, Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, YEP/ Netherlands Water Partnership s Young Expert Program Funding: The Hague Institute, YEP/ Netherlands Water Partnership, Deltares The economy of SIDS are vulnerable to climate change, since a high percentage of GDP and livelihoods are associated with climatesensitive sectors, in particular tourism, public health, agriculture, livestock and fisheries. In Zanzibar, climate change impacts have the potential to undermine and even undo progress made in socioeconomic development. This project contributes to sustainable economic development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) by developing effective governance arrangements in a participatory process. It builds adaptive capacity at multiple levels, including communities, and aims for social justice and human security in local climate action. A comparative assessment of frontrunner case studies in Small Island Development States (SIDS) is used to draw lessons on the governance of climate adaptation and DRR, and to enable mutual learning and reflection. The comparative assessment will feed into a participatory planning process, combined with action research, in Zanzibar to develop a consensus-based action plan outlining the design of physical interventions and governance arrangements to implement them. As such we are able to support a planning process that is tailor-made and which is supported by strong scientific evidence on the best approaches to the governance of climate adaptation in SIDS, and low-lying coastal countries in general. This project builds on existing work by The Hague Institute on SIDS, in particular a policy brief outlining an action agenda regarding climate security and justice for SIDS, as well as a high-level roundtable event on the same topic. 7
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High-level Roundtable and Film on: The Right to Food: International Peace and Justice and the Role of Cities Partners: Several key decision-makers and experts who provided their support to the film Funding: City of The Hague On 24 September 2015, The Hague Institute convened, in close collaboration with the City of The Hague, a roundtable dialogue on The right to food. This dialogue took place in the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Milan, as part of the Milan Expo. The aim of the dialogue was to develop a concrete agenda for realizing the right to food in the context of international peace and justice, with a special focus on the role of cities. The Roundtable was attended by representatives from the nonprofit, academic, media, and business sectors who engaged in a lively and stimulating dialogue centered around four main themes: conflict prevention, rule of law, global governance, and seed rights. Interspersed with keynote presentations by leading experts and interactive discussions, the Roundtable culminated in the presentation of an agenda with actionable recommendations and follow-up activities. Prior to the roundtable, a film was recorded with the purpose of stimulating a focused public debate on the right to food. High-level interviewees, including former secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, presented their insights in the key issues hindering the implementation of the right to food. The interviews contributed significantly to the debate and the agenda with follow-up activities. The interviews were shown at the Dutch Pavilion at the Milan Expo and are still available for display at public awareness-raising activities. 9
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Palestinian-Dutch Academic Cooperation Program on Water (PADUCO) (2015-2016) Partners: Twente University and Wageningen University in The Netherlands, and Al-Quds University in Jerusalem Funding: PADUCO Water resources in the West Bank and the Gaza strip are under increasing water stress due to a combination of factors, such as increasing demand, economic development, population growth, climate change, and water pollution from untreated wastewater. This project contributes to the improvement of individual, organizational and institutional capacity of the Palestinian higher education sector in the area of water. This will, on the mid- and the longer term, contribute to the effectiveness of the Palestinian water sector regarding the development, provision and management of water resources and services, reduce dependencies on donors and external funding. Additionally, applied short-term research contributes directly to knowledge gaps in the water sector, and projects are specifically designed to address the real needs of the agricultural and water sector. Under this program, The Hague Institute was involved in a joint research project on Rethinking the Water Governance Systems to Cope with Water Scarcity. For this purpose, a water governance assessment was conducted in the Palestine Territories. It reflects the policy needs and address local and national water scarcity conditions in Palestine. The water governance assessment is executed in close collaboration with University of Twente, Wageningen University and Al-Quds University in Jerusalem. 11
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Framework for Political Economy Analysis of Transboundary Basins in Africa (2015) Partners: SIWI Funding: World Bank-managed CIWA fund Political economy analysis (PEA) is increasingly used by financing and donor agencies. PEA is deals the interaction of political and economic processes in a society: the distribution of power and wealth between different groups and individuals, and the processes that create, sustain and transform these relationships over time. The main purpose of this project is to determine the most effective way of promoting cooperation in international river basins. The Hague Institute worked with Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) on the development and application of a framework for political economy analysis (PEA) in transboundary river basins in Africa, funded by the World Bank. This project is part of the World Bank managed Multi-Donor Trust Fund Cooperation in International Waters (CIWA). CIWA has been designed to support riparian governments, Regional Economic Communities, River Basin Organizations, and other stakeholders with the complexities of building cooperation and undertaking collaborative or joint investments in shared river basins. The objective of the CIWA-multi-donor trust fund is to strengthen cooperative management and development of international waters in Africa to facilitate sustainable climate resilient growth. The PEA framework was applied to three case studies; the Lake Chad Basin, the Zambesi Basin and the Okavanga Basin. 13
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NGO-based Integrated Transboundary Master Plan for the Lower Jordan River Basin (2013-2015) Partners: Royal Haskoning-DHV, experts and partners in Jordan, Israel and Palestine Funding: European Union The Jordan River is a nominee for the official World Heritage list. The downstream part of the river (Lower Jordan River) springs in the Sea of Galilee and winds 200 kilometers south through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea. At present most of the water is drained off for agriculture and to supply drinking water. The river is seriously polluted due to the discharge of effluent and other contaminants. With EU funding and assigned by EcoPeace Middle East, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and the Global Nature Fund (GNF), an international consortium consisting of Royal Haskoning DHV and The Hague Institute for Global Justice worked with local partners to develop a Regional NGO Master Plan for Sustainable Development in the Jordan Valley. The strategy was published in June 2015 and is akin to a modern Marshall Plan; it aims to convert a toxic river and highly depressed economic area into an international model for river rehabilitation and regional stability. The plan s framework identifies 127 specific regional and national projects (called interventions ) with a total investment value of $4.58 billion USD until the year 2050. Many projects are no regret actions that can quickly commence to help build confidence in the broader political situation. 15
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Water as a Permanent Status Issue in the Israeli- Palestinian Negotiations (2014) Partners: The Geneva Initiative Funding: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Representative Office in Palestinian Territories and The Hague Institute Water is an issue of mutual interest in the Middle East and its sharing is important for development and stability. Absence of dialogue between regional states and civil society organizations leads to a lack of shared knowledge on water. This project contributed to the creation of a joint vision on common water issues to advance the peace process within the parameters of the Geneva Initiative; the two-state solution, agreed borders, as well as water and the environment. The Hague Institute and the Geneva Initiative jointly organized two seminars on 1-2 May and 28-29 August 2014 in The Hague as part of a process to review the existing Geneva Initiative Water Annex (2009), and to develop a supplementary paper to address outstanding issues not included in the Annex. This event was a civil society initiative and is not related to any formal negotiation within the context of the Middle East Peace Process. The Geneva Initiative (GI) project titled Geneva Initiative s Vision on Water within the Permanent Status Agreement began in 2013. The goal of the project was to present fresh ideas to resolve the water issues, both at the bilateral and the regional level. The project was conducted jointly by the two sides of the Geneva Initiative, PPC-GI and HLEP, with the assistance of, and cooperation with The Hague Institute through the international water seminars in The Hague. The key purpose of the Water Seminars was to develop a supplementary paper to address outstanding issues not included in the GI Water Annex, with a focus on operational issues and implementation arrangements. 17
In what was essentially a large mediation process, four major steps were taken to reach a track II agreement (i.e. addendum to the water annex) in November 2014: The first step involved a stakeholder assessment in which several private and not-forattribution interviews were conducted to establish insights in potential areas of conflict and of common interests. The second step aimed to arrive at an equal understanding of the factual information, and hence a joint fact-finding process, involving peer reviewed expert contributions on five contested topics, was conducted to minimize the risk of politicized discussions. Understanding the common interest and sharing the same information, the third step they took was on facilitating multi-party problem-solving. Here, the delegations and experts were encouraged to explore more ways to meet the most important interests on all sides simultaneously; hence, creating more value and generate a broader vision on sharing benefits. Lastly, the areas of agreement (e.g. principles, definitions, the need for cross-border wastewater management, etc.) were assembled and agreed upon. "The two seminars organized by the Institute greatly assisted in our work and helped contribute to the development of a mutually agreed text between our Palestinian and Israeli experts. The two seminars were highly professionally run; the experts who participated in both seminars were highly knowledgeable and helped contribute creative ideas; and the bi-lateral meetings were adeptly facilitated." - Client (2014) 18
The seminar, held under the Chatham House Rule and facilitated by The Hague Institute staff, enabled an open and frank exchange of ideas between participants from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and the Netherlands. Members of the Geneva Initiative exchanged views with Dutch experts in closed informal setting and learned about other approaches to transboundary water management. Issues discussed include: lessons learned from previous water agreements, the Oslo Accords and the Geneva Accord; existing transboundary cooperation and possible future cooperation in this field; local, regional, and international context; the impact of (desalination) mega projects ; cooperation in transboundary wastewater and potential non-conventional water resources; and future uncertainties such as the impact of climate change on water resources. 19
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The Political Economy of Water Conflicts in Yemen (2013-2014) Partners: The Hague Institute (lead), Meta-Meta, UNESCO-IHE, Utrecht University and the Water and Environment Centre of Sana a University Funding: The Royal Netherlands Embassy in Sana a An acute water crisis looms over Yemen. Its water availability per capita is among the lowest in the world. Each year 2,500 people die as a result of water-related conflicts, according to unofficial estimates. Prevention and adaptation strategies are needed locally, regionally, and nationally that are based on a robust understanding of the various sources of insecurity, their interdependency and cumulative conflict potential. An international consortium led by The Hague Institute collaborated with local partners in Yemen to analyze in nine cases how water conflicts arise and to which formal and traditional dispute resolution mechanisms stakeholders resort. The team addressed the role and effectiveness of formal and traditional rules and practices in water related conflicts. The report "The political economy of water conflicts in Yemen" was presented at a high-level roundtable in the capital Sana a in November 2014. It contains policy relevant recommendations for the Dutch Embassy and other relevant actors for the prevention and resolution of water-related conflicts. As knowledge, or the lack thereof, has an obvious role in the emergence and resolution of conflict, one key recommendation is to increase the knowledge exchange with the general public. By using mobile phones to document traditional water usage rules and conflict settlements, and by monitoring the implementation of court decisions, transparency should create the credibility needed for sustainable results. 21
The report also raises awareness of the relationship between water scarcity and conflict and the possibilities for conflict settlement. "This analysis of the prevention and resolution of water-related conflicts shifted our thinking" - Senior World Bank official (2015) Another key recommendation covers developing mobile water courts to bridge the gap between formal and traditional conflict resolution mechanisms. These courts can bring legal solutions to isolated areas, thus providing education about appropriate law in specific conflict settings. Finally, the report provides expert advice on how to resolve conflicts outside of court, for instance through mediation, which might de-escalate potential violent conflicts. Due to the protracted conflict in Yemen the Dutch representation has had to withdraw from the country. The findings of this project however remain highly relevant to the war-torn country. The Hague Institute continues its efforts to further develop follow-ups. 22
Water Diplomacy Consortium: Water Security and Peace Conference (2013) Partners: Water Diplomacy Consortium (WDC) Funding: the conference was supporated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Water Diplomacy Consortium (WDC) organized a high level international working conference on Water Security and Peace on 14-15 November 2013. The conference presented and discussed the role of negotiation, mediation and conciliation in evidence-based cases of water diplomacy. Experts shared perspectives and solutions focused on: ü creating a better understanding water diplomacy capabilities, particularly among water resource specialists and diplomats ü initiating an international hub of experts to better resolve water related conflicts ü formulating an agenda on water diplomacy capability development Participants included relevant water experts, water diplomats and policy makers as well as political leaders in dealing with waterrelated disputes, from different levels and different organizations (governments, international organizations, NGOs), and leading scientists from various disciplines. Al Jazeera s program, Inside Story, covered the conference and asked, Why the source of life has become a source of tension. Read the full story on Al Jazeera. Conference proceedings are available on our website. 23
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Training The Hague Institute for Global Justice is a think-and-do-tank. We provide both academic and practical skills training for policy-makers and practitioners. Topics include water systems analysis, water governance and adaptive planning, participatory planning approaches, mediation and mutual gains negotiations, conflict prevention in fragile areas. Methods include interactive lectures, case studies, exercises, simulation negotiations, group discussions and field study tours. All modules are taught by professional trainers with hands-on experience in water diplomacy. Courses are always custom made to the specific requirements of the client. Depending on the requirements, courses can focus on academic training or practical skills training. 25
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Publications Policy Briefs Adaptive Delta Governance: Learning from Dynamic Deltas (May 2015) Geopolitics and Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean (August 2014) Climate Security and Justice for Small Island Developing States (March 2014) Global Nuclear Security: The Role of Uncertainty, Disputed Values and Nonstate Actors (January 2015) China-Japan Dispute Over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands? (December 2012) Working Paper Series Climate Justice: Equitable and Inclusive Governance of Climate Action (April 2016) Transboundary Wastewater Governance: Options Based on an Uncertainty Perspective (March 2016) Effectiveness of Multi-stakeholder Dialogues on Water (June 2015) Climate Change as a Threat Multiplier for Human Disaster and Conflict (May 2015) A Conflict-Sensitive Approach to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Urbanizing Asia-Pacific (March 2015) 27
Book chapters and journal publications Mediation in the Israeli-Palestinian Water Conflict: A practitioner s view. In Complexity and Contingency: Prospects for Water Diplomacy (2016) The Multi-track Water Diplomacy Framework: A Legal and Political Economy Analysis for Advancing Cooperation over Shared Waters (2016) Climate change and implications for security and justice: The need for equitable, inclusive and adaptive governance of climate action. Book chapter in Confronting the Crisis of Global Governance (2016) Effectiveness of multi-stakeholder dialogues on water - Reflections on experiences in the Rhine, Mekong, and Ganga-Brahmaputhra-Meghna river basins (2016) The Political Economy of Water Management in Yemen: Conflict Analysis and Recommendations (2014) Forms and foundations of action research. In: Action Research for Climate Change Adaptation - Developing and Applying Knowledge for Governance (2014) Participation in Climate Adaptation in the Lower Vam Co River Basin in Vietnam. In: Action Research for Climate Change Adaptation - Developing and Applying Knowledge for Governance, Routledge Series on Advances in Climate Change Research (2014) Impacts of Climate Change on Water Security: Towards Climate-dynamic Water Security. In: GWSP Handbook on Water Security (2014) 28
Colophon Cover photo: Woman fetching water, Yemen. Shutterstock Cover back: flag of The Hague Institute for Global Justice Page 6: Marovo Lagoon Solomon Islands. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Page 8: The Jordan River. National Geographic/Paolo Pellegrin Page 10: Video still from the documentary on the Right to Food Page 12: Desert. Cinoby/iStockphoto Page 14: Trench filling with water by Jae C. Hong/AP Page 16: Jordan River basin. Source unknown Page 20: Yemen, EPA/Yahya Arhab Page 24 Brahmaputra from Ganden. 2009. Antoine Taveneaux Page 26: A municipal water tanker New Delhi. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee Design by Mathijs Veenkant
About The Hague Institute for Global Justice The Hague Institute for Global Justice is an independent, nonpartisan organization established to conduct interdisciplinary policy-relevant research, develop practitioner tools, and convene experts, practitioners and policymakers to facilitate knowledge sharing. Through this work the Institute aims to contribute to, and further strengthen, the global framework for preventing and resolving conflict and promoting international peace. The Hague Institute for Global Justice, or simply The Hague Institute, was established in 2011 by the city of The Hague, key Hague-based organizations and with support from the Dutch government. Located in the city that has been a symbol of peace and justice for over a century, The Hague Institute is positioned uniquely to address issues at the intersection of peace, security and justice. Sophialaan 10 Head of Water Diplomacy 2514 JR The Hague Dr. Patrick Huntjens The Netherlands p.huntjens@thehagueinstitute.org +31(0)70 30 28 130 info@thehagueinstitute.org